Vance hopper, the ex boyfriend. The first love and first ex all in the same year. He was my first encounter with a toxic, abusive man. All my life, my father had never been too harsh but boy Vance was something else.

In the beginning, we were happy or at least I was happy and towards the end, everything fell apart. He would hit me for not doing things or shout at me if I didn't see him for a day

It was hard to make time for him as I had to work. I went to school and afterwards I would work at the grab n go

When we broke up, I wanted to quit my job. Seeing him everyday was too much for my heart to handle. It's like your in a trance when your in a toxic relationship. No matter how much you try not to, you always attempt to see the good in them. That's what slowly kills you. Your so filled with self doubt that you can't tell what's real anymore

Today I was working my usual shift at the grab n go. Right on queue, Vance walked in and no surprise he went straight to the pinball machine

It wasn't long before all hell broke loose. As I was stacking shelves, some kid bumped into his game causing him to loose. God help anyone who made Vance loose. He grabbed the kid and threw him against the shelf I was stacking causing me to fall onto the floor

Kid- I said I was sorry!

Vance- you fucked up my game asshole!

During every fight, I was the one to calm Vance. It was weird, he would argue with me and then depend on me to fix him but how can you fix something that doesn't want to be fixed. He liked his aggressive persona. He thought it made him tough. It did but that said, it didn't need to be used on his girlfriend

I pulled myself up off the floor, just in time to see Vance pulling a pocket knife out. Without thinking, I grabbed his arm, attempting to pull it away from the boy infront of him. Instead I was met with a sharp sting in my cheek.

I had pulled his hand back, resulting in the knife cutting my cheek. The floor now covered in blood. Not just from me but from that poor boy too

The boy scrambled to his feet before running out

Y/n- ow

Vance- what the fuck did you do that for?

Y/n- just calm down Vance

Vance- calm down!? He fucked up my game!

Y/n- Vance seriously, it's a game! Someone could've lost their life! I could've lost my life!

Those words caused him to go from angry to fearful. He hadn't once thought about the danger he was putting others in. Vance was impulsive. If he wanted to do something, he would do it. No thinking involved

He obviously still cared for her. Although never as much as she did for him. She was not his first love, more like his 3rd love. But she was different to the other girls he dated. He had a type, trashy whores. So naturally when people found out, they also freaked out. She made him look like a softie and he hated that. When people found out he struck her for the first time, they were scared. This boosted his ego. Knowing all he had to do to regain his power was hit her, he did it every day making sure to leave visible marks on her

Vance- are you ok?

Y/n- now you care? A fucking cut on my cheek makes you care but a trip to the hospital last year doesn't !?

He had beat her so bad once that she ended up in hospital.

Vance- I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you

Y/n- hurt me? No, you didn't hurt me Vance... you broke me

His heart shattered. Since they broke up, she had changed. She wasn't the innocent girl he once knew. She wasn't anything he knew. She was nothing.

I stood up, grabbing a few cans off the floor before taking them to the back.

I never wanted to see him again.

He watched her walk away. Regret in his eyes. He needed her, he desperately needed her. She was the only one who could calm him